Alfred Gabali oil painting Beijing
Price:
On request
Product details
| Product number: | 1194 |
| Artist: | Alfred Gabali ( 1886-1963) |
| Style: | Realism |
| Material: | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions: | 60 x 90 cm |
Product description
Alfred Gabali: “Beijing in full sail”
The painting “Peking” shows the impressive four-masted steel barque, one of the legendary Flying P-Liners of the Hamburg shipping company F. Laeisz, at full speed on the open sea.
The scene is dynamic: white spray splashes against the dark hull as the wind billows the huge sails. Gabali uses bold brushstrokes and a rich color spectrum of deep blue, gray and warm ocher to capture the play of light, water and metal. The sky above the horizon is dramatic, with clouds suggesting gathering wind - a moment between storm and calm.
The rigging of the Peking is finely crafted, the masts rise majestically into the sky. In the foreground, whitecaps are reflected in the ocean, and slight reflections on the water surface anchor the ship in its surroundings. The composition creates a feeling of grandeur and determination – in the spirit of classic marine painting.
More than just a nautical image, the work captures the spirit of classic sailing: courage, adventure and the relationship between man and nature. Gabali's experience as a sailor gives the portrayal authenticity and depth.
The Peking is a four-masted steel barque that was launched on February 25, 1911 at the Hamburg shipyard Blohm & Voss and soon became one of the most famous ships of the so-called Flying P-Liner - a fleet of fast sailing ships from the F. Laeisz shipping company.
Use & Meaning:
The Peking was used in the nitrate trade between Europe and Chile, one of the most important routes of the time. The sturdy ships of the P-Line were known for their speed and reliability - hence the nickname Flying P-Liners.
First World War & Intermediate Period:
When the First World War broke out, the ship was interned in Valparaíso, Chile, and later given to Italy as war reparation. However, the shipping company managed to buy the ship back.
Later history:
In the 1930s the Peking was sold and served as a training ship and children's home under the name Arethusa II. During the Second World War she was in service with the Royal Navy (as HMS Pekin). She later came to the USA and became part of the South Street Seaport Museum in New York before being brought to Germany and restored in 2017. Today she can be seen as a museum ship in the German Harbor Museum in Hamburg.
Alfred Gabali was a German painter who is best known for his maritime scenes and depictions of ships. His biography combines life at sea and artistic training, which is clearly reflected in his art:
Life and career
Early years:
Born on May 4, 1886 in Cologne, Germany, Gabali left home at the age of 16 to work as a sailor on the four-master Pamir. His time at sea had a decisive influence on his understanding of ships and the sea.
Artistic training:
During one of his trips he met the artist Schnars Alquist, who gave him his first formal artistic lessons. He later continued to study both navigation and painting, with his maritime experience always reflected in his art.
Life in Germany & World War II:
After the First World War, he settled in Hamburg in 1923 as a professional artist. During the Nazi era he refused to join official party artist organizations, which forced him to leave Germany. He rebuilt his career in Holland and found support from local artist friends there.
Emigration to the USA:
In 1949, Gabali moved with his wife to the United States, where he settled particularly in the artistic community of Cape Cod (Massachusetts), became a US citizen there in 1955 and painted actively until his death in 1963.
Style & Meaning
Gabali's works are characterized by authentic maritime motifs, often with realistic but vivid depictions of ships and the sea. His own sailor biography gives his ship portraits a special credibility and soul.
The painting “Peking” shows the impressive four-masted steel barque, one of the legendary Flying P-Liners of the Hamburg shipping company F. Laeisz, at full speed on the open sea.
The scene is dynamic: white spray splashes against the dark hull as the wind billows the huge sails. Gabali uses bold brushstrokes and a rich color spectrum of deep blue, gray and warm ocher to capture the play of light, water and metal. The sky above the horizon is dramatic, with clouds suggesting gathering wind - a moment between storm and calm.
The rigging of the Peking is finely crafted, the masts rise majestically into the sky. In the foreground, whitecaps are reflected in the ocean, and slight reflections on the water surface anchor the ship in its surroundings. The composition creates a feeling of grandeur and determination – in the spirit of classic marine painting.
More than just a nautical image, the work captures the spirit of classic sailing: courage, adventure and the relationship between man and nature. Gabali's experience as a sailor gives the portrayal authenticity and depth.
The Peking is a four-masted steel barque that was launched on February 25, 1911 at the Hamburg shipyard Blohm & Voss and soon became one of the most famous ships of the so-called Flying P-Liner - a fleet of fast sailing ships from the F. Laeisz shipping company.
Use & Meaning:
The Peking was used in the nitrate trade between Europe and Chile, one of the most important routes of the time. The sturdy ships of the P-Line were known for their speed and reliability - hence the nickname Flying P-Liners.
First World War & Intermediate Period:
When the First World War broke out, the ship was interned in Valparaíso, Chile, and later given to Italy as war reparation. However, the shipping company managed to buy the ship back.
Later history:
In the 1930s the Peking was sold and served as a training ship and children's home under the name Arethusa II. During the Second World War she was in service with the Royal Navy (as HMS Pekin). She later came to the USA and became part of the South Street Seaport Museum in New York before being brought to Germany and restored in 2017. Today she can be seen as a museum ship in the German Harbor Museum in Hamburg.
Alfred Gabali was a German painter who is best known for his maritime scenes and depictions of ships. His biography combines life at sea and artistic training, which is clearly reflected in his art:
Life and career
Early years:
Born on May 4, 1886 in Cologne, Germany, Gabali left home at the age of 16 to work as a sailor on the four-master Pamir. His time at sea had a decisive influence on his understanding of ships and the sea.
Artistic training:
During one of his trips he met the artist Schnars Alquist, who gave him his first formal artistic lessons. He later continued to study both navigation and painting, with his maritime experience always reflected in his art.
Life in Germany & World War II:
After the First World War, he settled in Hamburg in 1923 as a professional artist. During the Nazi era he refused to join official party artist organizations, which forced him to leave Germany. He rebuilt his career in Holland and found support from local artist friends there.
Emigration to the USA:
In 1949, Gabali moved with his wife to the United States, where he settled particularly in the artistic community of Cape Cod (Massachusetts), became a US citizen there in 1955 and painted actively until his death in 1963.
Style & Meaning
Gabali's works are characterized by authentic maritime motifs, often with realistic but vivid depictions of ships and the sea. His own sailor biography gives his ship portraits a special credibility and soul.